1. General Information

• Competition Dates: Thursday, May 14th & Friday, May 15th, 2026.
• Location: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, 1255 Jeanne-Mance Montréal, QC H3B 5L4
• Eligibility: Open to national and international competitors of all levels.
• Minimum Age: 18+ (except for the 17 & Under category).
• Stage Size: Approximately 24’ x 24’ with stairs on both sides (subject to change, check updates one month prior).

2. Competition Categories

• • Heats & Showcase
  • Professional
  • Amateur
  • Team
  • Pro-Am
  • 17 & Under

3. Registration & Competitor Pass

• Minimum Entries: Competitors must register for at least two entries to access the discounted Competitor Pass.
• Registration Deadlines:
  1. Early Bird: Dec 24 – Feb 28
  2. Regular Price: Mar 1 – Apr 4
  3. Last Chance: Apr 5 – May 9
• How to Obtain the Competitor Pass:
  1. Register and send proof to info@montrealsalsaconvention.com.
  2. Receive a promo code.
  3. Purchase the Competitor Pass via Eventbrite.
  4. Competitor Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable.

4. Policies & Regulations

• Media Release: By registering, competitors grant permission for photos/videos to be used for promotional purposes.
• Liability: Competitors participate at their own risk; the event is not liable for injuries or lost belongings.
• Restrictions: No props, theme choreography, costume changes, or symbolic accessories (flags, hats, chairs, etc.).
• Compliance & Penalties: Non-compliance with regulations may result in point deductions or disqualification.
• Regulation Adjustments: Rules may be updated at the organizer’s discretion; competitors must comply.
• Withdrawals: No refunds for withdrawal after registration.
• Rehearsals: No scheduled run-throughs, dress rehearsals, or practice time on stage.
• Score Announcements: Results will be published on the event website post-competition.

1. General Rules

• Check-in Time: Competitors must check in at the designated time. Late check-in may result in disqualification.
• Competitor Pass Requirement: Every competitor must have a valid Competitor Pass.
• Order of Performance: Will be determined a few days before the competition.
• Head Judge Decisions: The head judge has the final say in case of disputes.
• Release of Liability: By participating, competitors release the organizers from liability.

2. Performance Guidelines

• Costumes: Required for all performers. Jeans are discouraged.
• No Props Allowed: Items not attached to costumes are prohibited.
• Rhythm & Musicality:
  • Rhythm must be consistently maintained.
  • Music must align with the selected dance style (Salsa, Bachata, Hustle, etc.).
  • Mixed music genres are ONLY ALLOWED in the Open Division.
• Routine Lengths:
  • Solo Showcase: 1:30 – 2:30 min
  • Couple Showcase: 1:30 – 2:30 min
  • Team Showcase: 1:30 – 3:00 min
• Music Submission: A maximum of 3 song mixes allowed. Must be submitted in advance with competitor details.
• Contestants may dance up to two levels (their own level, plus one level up).   Competitors may also enter additional age specific divisions (ie. over 40, over 50, 12 & under, etc) and age specific division will not count as one of the two.

3. Competition Structure

• Division Separation:
  • Levels: Newcomer, Beginner, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Pre-Advanced, Advanced.
  • Age Groups: 17 & Under, 18 & Over, 40+, 50+, 60+
  • Status: Solo, Same-Gender.
• Heats & Showcase Rules:
  • Showcase: Dips, drops, lifts allowed but must not exceed 30% of performance.
  • Heats: No dips, drops, lifts, or tricks. Shines allowed up to 20%.
• Dossards (Numbers):
  • In Amateur Divisions, the male dancer wears the number.
  • In Pro-Am, the Amateur wears the number.

4. Penalties & Compliance

• Musical Timing: Consistent timing is required. Failure may result in deductions.

CATEGORIES

• Pro-am ladies: A category where a professional dancer (Pro) partners with a female amateur dancer (Am). The amateur competes with the guidance of the professional, focusing on skill development and performance quality.
• Pro-am men: A category where a professional dancer (Pro) partners with a male amateur dancer (Am). This format allows the amateur to refine their technique while benefiting from the professional’s experience and mentorship.
• Amateur: Amateurs have not competed at the professional level or taken on professional roles in Pro-Am competitions. While amateur-level dancers may teach and perform, they typically receive minimal compensation for these activities.
• Professional: Once a dancer enters the Professional category, they are no longer eligible to compete as an amateur. However, professional dancers may still participate in Pro-Am divisions, taking on the role of the professional partner.
• Teams: A group category where three or more dancers perform together. Teams may include synchronized choreography, formations, and creative elements to showcase group dynamics and stage presence.
• Small teams: 4 couples or 8 dancers or less.
• Large teams: 5 or more couples, or 9 dancers or more.
• 17 & under: An age-restricted category for dancers who are 17 years old or younger on the competition day. This division provides young dancers with a competitive platform suited to their skill level and age group.

LEVELS

• Newcomer: For first-time competitors, providing a supportive environment for new dancers.
• Beginner: The next level after Newcomer, for dancers with some experience in dance competitions or formal training.
• Pre-intermediate: Designed for dancers with substantial technical knowledge and a strong understanding of rhythm.
• Intermediate: For dancers in their second year, incorporating more intricate figures and longer routines.
• Pre-advanced: For high-level intermediate dancers working towards professional-level skills.
• Advanced: For competitors with over three years of experience, focusing on refining technique for professional performances.

SHOWCASE DIVISION

HEATS DIVISION

AGE-BASED DIVISIONS

• 17 & under: Competitors must be 17 years of age or younger on the competition day.
• Over 40 divisions: Amateurs must be 40+ years old on the competition day.
• Over 50 divisions: Amateurs must be 50+ years old on the competition day.
• Over 60 divisions: Amateurs must be 60+ years old on the competition day.

DANCE STYLES

• Bachata: A modern style influenced by Zouk and contemporary dance, emphasizing fluidity, isolations, and body rolls.
• Dominican bachata: Traditional Bachata from the Dominican Republic, known for intricate footwork and syncopated partner movements.
• Cha-cha: A Cuban-origin dance with quick, syncopated steps and rhythmic hip movements.
• Kizomba: A smooth, rhythm-driven partner dance originating from Angola, emphasizing close connection and elegant footwork.
• Latin hustle: A fusion of hustle and Latin dance elements from the disco era, incorporating energetic footwork and partner patterns.
• Merengue: A lively Dominican dance characterized by simple steps and pronounced hip movements.
• Salsa: Includes all Salsa styles, allowing dancers to choose On1 or On2 timing while maintaining consistency.
• West coast swing: A versatile partner dance known for its slotted movements and smooth footwork, adapting to various music genres.
• Open division: Open to all levels, ages, dance genres, and styles unless otherwise specified.
• Shines: Involves fancy footwork, intricate and stylish dancing done separately from your partner and can be choreographed, based on learned patterns, or improvised. In a shines category, lead and follow patterns are typically excluded.

SAME-GENDER

SOLO

The judging criteria for the competition evaluate multiple aspects of a dancer’s performance, ensuring a well-rounded and high-quality presentation. Each category is weighted differently, emphasizing key elements. Judges will assess the competitors’ ability to maintain consistent timing, interpret music creatively, demonstrate strong technique, execute challenging movements, establish partner connection, and deliver a captivating performance.

20% TIMING:

The majority of the routine must demonstrate recognizable timing within the chosen dance genre (e.g., Salsa, Bachata, Hustle*). For Salsa, competitors may choose to break ON 1 or ON 2 but must maintain consistency throughout the routine. The break step can be directed either forward or backward, as long as the timing remains consistent (either on counts 1 and 5 or 2 and 6). The routine should predominantly reflect recognizable Salsa timing.

15% MUSICALITY:

Competitors will demonstrate their ability to creatively work with the timing of their individual music. This can be done in a variety of ways, including patterns, footwork, “hits”, tricks, etc.

15% GENERAL DANCE TECHNIQUE & DANCE SPECIFIC TECHNIQUE:

Dance technique is reflected through balance, placement, and line. This refers also to general technique for partner dance, where the movement is “grounded”, and there is clarity of proper weight changes from foot to foot. Movement should appear to be both clear and effortless. Dance specific technique is sometimes referred to as “latin motion” or “sabor”.

15% DIFFICULTY:

Difficulty is reflected in the complexity of patterns, turns, shines, and the level of tricks, dips, drops, and flares. Examples include the number of turns executed on both single and double foot, the intricacy of shines, and the precision of movement execution. Additional factors include jumps, kicks, extensions, and any movements requiring exceptional balance, flexibility, or strength. To receive credit, all movements must be successfully executed.

15% PARTNERING/CONNECTION:

This is reflected in the lead/follow aspect of the dance. Are partners truly connected, or are they merely executing choreography while holding hands? Synchronicity during side by sides or shines will also help determine the score in this category.

10% CHOREOGRAPHY:

The competitor’s interpretation of the music. Good choreography should contain clever turn patterns and shines. All choreography should be musical, and competitors should show a good usage of the space itself. Originality is a factor here.

10% OVERALL PRESENTATION/SHOWMANSHIP:

Overall Presentation score includes costuming, showmanship, and also good sportsmanship.

Attention All Performers & Showcase Competitors!
The music submission deadline is April 23rd

Please provide your music in advance and upload your music in this form. The file will be handed directly to DJ for your showcase Thursday thru Sunday. Suggested file type should be mp3 format.

How to submit: Fill this form and upload the file.

Make sure that you include the EXACT team name in the message box (ie San Tropez Latin Dance School, Amateur Team) especially if your school/company has multiple teams performing at the event. If it is a couple performing, please include the first and last name of each dancer.

File Naming: Detailed naming of your upload file is very important to the efficient organization of the DJ for performances and competitions. Please name each file as follows:
{GroupName}_{TeamName}_{Genre}_{Show/Competition}

EXAMPLES FOR PERFORMANCE:

SanTropez_AmateurTeam_Bachata_Show.mp3

Sonia_Moris_Salsa_Show.mp3

EXAMPLES FOR COMPETITION SHOWCASE:

SanTropez_Team_Salsa_Comp.mp3

Jack_Jill_Amateur_Salsa_Comp.mp3

Music Format: MP3 (minimum bitrate of 220) or Mac AIFF format. Make sure you are submitting good quality files, ie not music downloaded from YouTube.

DEADLINE TO UPLOAD YOUR MUSIC: APRIL 15th, 2026

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